


Masquerade

by Simoniage



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Being stood up, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Dancing, Highschool AU, M/M, Modern AU, senior prom, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 13:56:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13101618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Simoniage/pseuds/Simoniage
Summary: Freed Justine had planned to attend the night with his date to the Senior dance.  But it seemed fate had another idea- being stood up and having a masked stranger enter his night.(Highschool AU/No Magic AU)





	Masquerade

People were bustling and moving around the room with such grace and exaggerated steps, each carefully planned and moving to the live music that filled the ballroom with pleasure. Every attendee was laughing and singing along to the words that were drowning out of earshot from anyone not by the stage erected on the far side of the large room. Colorful flashes of costumes and other accessories swayed with the figures, each dress and mask crafted perfectly by a professional for the occasion.

Off to the side stood alone table filled with contrasting foods and other delicacies that the school board could afford. Although made fancy, the boarding academy, Fairy Tail, always made sure to pick some of the cheapest foods when going all out with different decorations. Freed picked up one of the custard tarts that were in his reach; it didn’t seem all that appealing to him.

“Where could he be?” the green haired man asked aloud, his body constantly turning to search for the man that had promised to escort him to the event. Not only had he been taken out of a ride, it seemed he had been stood up, too. What a lovely night it was becoming already! “I’ve called him at least seven times. Where is Rufus?”

In frustration, Freed placed his phone inside of his shining red vest pocket, the white case of the device blending in with swirling white patterns crossing his chest. For the third time that night he adjusted his feathered mask in anxiety, still hoping for the arrival of his date.

Rufus was curt with asking Freed to the dance, making a hurry of the whole ordeal, but surely he wasn’t going to strand the gentleman here by himself with no explanation? Perhaps he had missed the address or maybe even his car had broken down. There had to be a reason! Right?

Mingling was not the best of options at this point. Freed found himself too frustrated and at the very least upset at the turn of events. Stood up during his senior year dance, by someone he respected and admired too…

“Did you get stood up?” he heard a rough, grumbling voice call from behind him. At first Freed dismissed it as someone else’s receiving sentence, but he remembered that no one else besides himself was over in this direction. Slowly he turned to stare at a man not much larger than his own size vertically, but horizontally he was different. The man had larger shoulders and bust than Freed, undoubtedly from muscle mass and not from body fat.

It took Freed a moment to reply, but he did. “Yeah. My date did not show up as planned. I’d like to think that he simply can’t find me in this mask, but at the same time I think not.”

The stranger was unrecognizable to him from this view. His mask was strikingly purple, but had no room for the visibility of eyes. Instead, a thin grey sheet of mesh covered the eye slots of the mask, making his eyes unrecognizable. A few strands of blonde hair fell over the mask’s front, but most of it was slicked back into a nice flat look. His outfit was in similar style to Freed’s, one that included a cape, vest, undershirt, and slacks. Most of the outfit was purple, but hints of yellow lined the cape and vest to contrast the dullness of the outfit. It made the man look astonishingly beautiful.

“That’s what I told myself too. My date wasn’t even at her house when I arrived to pick her up.” His voice had a sense of comfort and pleasure to the timbre. Warm yet rough around the edges. Freed wasn’t foreign to a majority of the students there, he helped sell tickets after all, but Freed couldn’t recognize his voice from those of his classmates.

“It seemed we both had similar situations. My date never even showed up to my house, let alone contacted me about it.” Freed offered a consoling smile towards the man, a chuckle coming from his chest. “I guess that’s the problem with dances like this.”

“Not a damn thing wrong about that statement,” he conceded to the man, a makeshift laugh coming from him as well. “Though, who’s to say two rejects can’t hang out instead?”

“Only if you’re okay with it.” Freed gave him an interested look before outstretching his arm to the other, a genuine smile plastered on his face. He was interested in who this man was. A dance could perhaps tell him this information.

“Now, I didn’t say we could hang out, Greenie.”

Freed’s lips curved into a frown. He started to retreat his arm when the man before him stopped the retrieval of his hand

A gloved hand covered Freed’s own, sending excited shivers down his spine. “I was just joking with you. Let’s dance.”

It seemed like something out of a novel, really. Someone being stood up by their date, only to be comforted by another unlucky soul who was bailed out on as well. Freed giggled at the thought, earning a smile from the other.

“Giddy, are we?” he spoke awkwardly, his mouth twisted into a small smile. “Never knew I could have an effect on someone before.”

Carefully through the crowd of people they made their way through groups of their peers, each body giving them an interested look. Through the masks and costumes, Freed found it hard to identify individuals through the room. Certain hair and eye combinations made it easier for him to tell, but not one person seemed familiar in the space.

The music began to pick up once more with intensity, the tune familiarizing itself with Freed, but he couldn’t name quite what it was. The soundtrack seemed familiar, maybe something they had practiced in choir this year?

“It’s Masquerade,” he heard the other say, earning Freed’ undivided attention. Blue eyes widened, staring inquisitively at the other. “From the Phantom of the Opera. Ironic for them to play this song at such a dance.”

“They played Music of the Night, earlier. Considering the setting of tonight it’s not all that strange. I’m just expecting them to play another common song, such as O Mio Babbino Caro. The one from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.”

“You’re into classical?” the other asked with a smirk. Freed noticed that unlike himself, he had a slight stubble. It looked great on him. “Surprising. Are you in orchestra?”

“Choir. Chamber Choir. I’m the tenor section leader.” 

“Predictable. I’m in the band; I play low brass for marching season and the guitar for concert season.” 

Arms wrapped around Freed’ torso and he looked up in response, surprised the other took the initiative to start their dance. It was already thirty seconds into the song after all. There was still time to move and converse.

“Maybe I know you then, if we are in the same department?” Freed stated, his voice coming out more as a question than a point. His nervously laughed to himself, hoping it was unnoticeable towards the other. He didn’t want to seem awkward.

“I guess it’s possible.”

They started to sway to the music, each step they took of careful craftsmanship. Freed nearly stepped on the other’s shoe once--it sent him into a panic—but he recovered from the slip up quickly. His hand was raised above his head and he turned towards his partner’s body.

The music became more melodic than lyrical, approaching the climax of the piece. The Phantom of the Opera was known for its melodically sound scores in the background of the musical’s soundtrack. Freed had performed the song Masquerade enough times to know when the next verse was.

He found it surprising when his partner dipped his body down lower, his head nearly touching the floor when he did so. Their faces became closer to one another, Freed feeling the man’s breath on his nose. If they were the protagonists of a novel, Freed was sure this would be the scene where they embraced in a kiss. But, as quickly as it began, it ended. He was soon lifted to his feet once more and his partner gave a small smile towards him. 

“You dance great,” Freed offered as a sincere compliment. That was better dancing than he could have ever hoped to do in his entire life with another person. In honesty, Freed loved ballroom dancing. Had he ever had a chance to do it before? No. Was he fulfilled? Yes.

The last note of Masquerade played, the small ensemble on stage bowing at the end of their performance before exiting stage left. Freed clapped softly, gloves muffling the sound to make it nearly nonexistent.

The green haired man prepared himself for the next of hopefully many dances to come along, only to hear the chords of modern trash come over the speakers. The band quickly picked up their stuff and moved to the outskirts of the stage to signal their next performance would be later, or even never again for the rest of the night.

“Just great,” Freed sighed unwillingly. “I don’t particularly like this song.”

“I agree. It’s fucking trash.” Freed gave an uneasy glance at the cursing. The other tensed his body, a low rumble coming from his chest- a nervous laugh, Freed thought.

“When it comes to dances,I prefer formal stuff, as it seems more universal. More...romantic.” The blood rushed to Freed’s cheeks.

The blonde stranger’s lips curved into a smile, giving Freed an interested look. “If you’re still interested in learning about me, follow me.” Like Freed had done before, the man offered a hand extended to him. Freed, with vigor, accepted the hand and allowed himself to be pulled through the excited and screaming students from their class.

Before he knew it, cold fresh air blew against Freed’ face. They had entered the outside world at this point, the darkness surrounding them. The moon wasn’t out as much as Freed had hoped. It illuminated everything slightly, but not enough to read or write. The ink of night shaded over the stranger’s body, leaving him barely visible in his dark outfit.

“I bet you’re expecting a reveal.” In his mind, Freed was saying yes. But on the outside, he looked neutral, like he couldn’t care. “I wouldn’t mind giving you one, if you would like one.”

“A reveal? If you are truly alright with it, I don’t mind. If you reveal, I will reveal too.” The stranger nodded with a comforting silence, hands reaching behind his head to grasp at the mask string.

True to his word, Freed reached behind his head and played with the mask string. It took a few moments of fidgeting, but he finally released the knot, the mask falling to the ground in reveal. It took him a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, but he looked up to meet brilliant orange eyes. Beautiful ones. They reminded Freed of oranges, and a lighter golden ring in the center of his iris. 

 

Freed gasped, the face becoming clearer to him. How he had not recognized the masked man before was astonishing with the reveal. 

He had met him quite a few times in music classes. He was one of the main accompanists for Chamber Choir during their competition last year. They had struck conversation about art and history in their last meeting. This all came back to Freed, making his insides turn giddy with excitement. He was clunky, awkward, antisocial- but most of all, he was charmingly hot.

“Laxus, was it?” he asked in confirmation, earning a nod from the other. Laxus offered a nervous smile, his pale lips parting slightly to laugh. It was a deep rumble coming from his throat, and it made Freed’ face turn scarlet. Even when first meeting him, he thought the man was attractive. The hair, face, skin, eyes, and everything about the man made him swoon the last time.

“And you’re Freed Justine. Leader of the fencing club, vice president of the student council, all honors student, tenor section leader.”

Freed gulped. Laxus knew about him?

“It might seem awkward, but I noticed you from across the room. Originally I was going to ask you myself, but when word went around you were asked by Rufus, I kept to myself. I didn’t want to ruin the day for you, let alone awkwardly ask you out. After all we’ve only talk about what-- one time?”

Quickly, Freed wrapped his arms around Laxus’s neck, pulling him down into a small chaste kiss. He didn’t give the other much time to react before he pulled away with a small smile.

“If only you could have been the one to ask me initially. But I’m glad it ended up this way.”


End file.
